The invention pertains to a snowboard binding having a base element and a pivotable heel element. Snowboard bindings of this general nature have been disclosed, for example, in DE 44 16 023 C1. This binding has a heel or calf element that remains unchanged in the normal snowboarding position and an instep element connected so as to pivot via a lever rod to lateral cheeks of the binding, with this lever rod being directly coupled to the tread element and with a tread element pivoting about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the binding being provided on this lever rod and pivoting the instep element downwards when stepped upon and being held in place in the closed position by a locking unit.
A similar snowboard binding is described in DE 295 20 277 U1, in which a continuous instep element extending past the boot tip is used, which instep element is fastened to an L-shaped lever that can pivot about an axis running across the longitudinal axis of the binding. The snowboarder steps into the free space formed by the L-shaped lever and the instep element with his boot tip and, by pressing the foot down, pivots the instep element into the closed position.
WO 95/33534 describes a snowboard binding without a step-in function, in which the heel element can be pivoted backwardly into an open position and is additionally coupled to the back end of the instep element such that, upon pivoting the heel element upwardly into a closed position, the instep element is pivoted in the opposite direction downwardly, likewise into a closed position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,123 shows a snowboard binding without the step-in function, in which the instep element is crossed over by sheathed cables guided via idle rolls seated in the lateral cheeks to the back side of the pivoting heel element. If the heel element is moved forwardly from an open position in which it is pivoted backwardly and roughly horizontal into a vertical closed position, the instep element is pressed against the instep of the boot.
DE 44 35 113 C1 likewise shows a snowboard binding whose heel element can be pivoted sufficiently far into an open position that a snowboard boot can be inserted into the binding with a fixed instep element. An actuation unit consists of a belt reaching around the outside of the heel element and capable of being displaced along the outside of the heel element in the direction of the latter's free end and pivoting the heel element when displaced into a predefined closed position, in which the heel element supports the snowboard boot and presses it against the instep element, holding it there. To open and close this binding, the snowboarder must operate the belt by hand, for which purpose he must bend down.
To improve the comfort of snowboard bindings, a number of so-called "step-in bindings" have already been proposed, which are ultimately brought from an open into a closed position by moving the boot. Essentially, three types of step-in bindings are known. The first type works with so-called hard-shell boots whose soles have projections at the front and the back in which clamp clips of tensioning elements engage. Examples of this are found in EP 0 672 438 A1, DE 44 06 047 A1, WO 95/20423, and DE 44 24 737 C1. These bindings fit all common hard-shell boots, but not popular soft boots, as they are called, which are normally used with shell bindings that have a heel element supporting the heel and an instep element.
The second type of step-in binding places one binding component into the boot, in particular, the boot sole, and a second part, to be connected detachably to the first, on the snowboard. Examples of this are shown in DE 37 17 108 C2, DE 94 21 380 U1, WO 96/01575, WO 96/26774, WO 96/03185, WO 96/05894, or WO 95/09035. However, these bindings, some of which are quite comfortable to use, can only be used with special boots having the appropriate binding components. If these bindings are used with soft boots, then the boot must additionally take on the supporting function of the heel rest and the instep element, which causes additional problems because suitable boots are not yet on the market.
A third type of step-in binding, which can be used with nearly all boot types and in particular with soft boots, is known from the aforementioned DE 44 16 023 C1, DE 24 16 024 C1, and DE 295 20 277 U1.
In DE 44 16 023 C1, the binding has a heel or calf element that remains in the normal snowboarding position for getting in and out. There is also an instep element connected so as to pivot via a lever rod to lateral cheeks of the binding, with this lever rod being directly coupled to the tread element. A tread element pivoting about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the binding is provided on this lever rod and pivots the instep element downwards when stepped upon, and is held in place in the closed position by a locking unit.
In DE 44 16 024 a rigid heel element is also used. The instep element is divided in two parts in the longitudinal direction of the binding with each part pivoting about an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the binding. Both instep element parts are rigidly connected to L-shaped levers likewise pivoting about this axis, with the boot sole pivoting the two instep element parts inward into a closed position upon stepping on the free legs of these levers. The snowboarder then, however, must close a tension belt connecting the two parts of the instep element.
DE 295 20 277 U1 uses a continuous instep element that extends past the boot tip and is fastened to an L-shaped lever that can pivot about an axis running across the longitudinal axis of the binding. The snowboarder steps into the free space formed by the L-shaped lever and the instep element with his boot tip and, by pressing the foot down, then pivots the instep element into the closed position.
WO 95/33534 describes a snowboard binding without a step-in function, in which the heel element can be pivoted backwards into an open position and is additionally coupled to the back end of the instep element such that, upon pivoting the heel element upwards into a closed position, the tread element is pivoted in the opposite direction downwards, likewise into a closed position.